Opening Doors (September 1st, 2008)

David is anointed to be King of Israel in 1 Sam.16:13. That presented a seemingly huge obstacle: how to get from shepherding a few dumb sheep to shepherding a few million people. We’re each presented with a similar challenge whenever God reveals vision for the purposes He’s called us to: how do I get there? The human tendency is to try to climb the Christian version of the corporate ladder; to assert ourselves in the “right” places and at the “right times,” doing the “right” things in order to open the “right” doors. This is not God’s way - this is the selfish ambition James warns of in 3:14-16 and Paul commands us to avoid in Phil.2:3. The only Biblical description of getting from spiritual point A to spiritual point B is by being faithful at point A. Lk.16:10 describes faithfulness with little as the prerequisite for faithfulness with more. We are not called to be faithful with little to get to the next level (He is more interested in our motives - Pr.16:2, 1 Cor.4:5). We’re called to be faithful with little for the sake of the little. I don’t have to open my own doors; God can open my doors for me. That is what He did for David. After anointing Him to be King, God opened the door for him to kill Goliath (1 Sam.17:49-50) and also immediately placed Him in Saul’s palace (1 Sam.16:14-23) in the very context where he would go on to become King. God opened David’s doors on the way to kingship and He will open the doors towards the vision and purpose He’s called me to as I simply remain faithful with the little He’s called me to now (Mt.25:14-30), for His glory (1 Cor.10:31).